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CD Storage: Ditch the jewel case?
Now that I've got my vinyl storage sorted, I'm looking at the CDs that also need a good storage solution. I've come to the conclusion that jewel cases suck in most ways. Way too bulky and difficult to store in a way that is nice to flip through. Also new CDs are often only coming in a cardboard sleeve, making it less compatible with jewel case specific storage. Yeah you can just put it in a jewel case, but then you don't have a back card to read the edge unless you make your own. I've never liked the edge reading method of CD storage anyway. I'd much rather flip through them like vinyl. It kind of forces you to interact with more of your library.. You might end up finding and playing something you forgot about.
CD storage binders can work, but they may or may not fit the booklet and back card. And I find the larger capacity ones get awkward. They work for space efficient long term storage. Just less nice to interact with on a day to day basis.
I found a few options for sleeves that allow you to save the cover/booklet and back card.
Gatefold sleeves:
https://bagsunlimited.com/cd-gatefold-sleeve-center-loading-holds-tray-card-and-booklet-in-one-side-cd-in-the-other
Top load single sleeves:
https://amazon.com/Mediaxpo-Clear-Plastic-Sleeve-Stitches/dp/B0C86P9CFB/
(The thin inner sleeves mentioned in the below vid)
https://amazon.com/Sleeves-Transparent-Storage-Protective-100PCS/dp/B0F2FTM9N8
These seem perfect for me. Save a ton of space while keeping all the original booklets and artwork. Trough style bins make it much like vinyl storage/browsing, just on a mini scale.
What do you guys use?
Comments
I am all digital here, so no browsing. My collection just sits around in their jewel cases.
I have a large shelf that holds about 1000, and have CD crates in addition to that at the moment.
InDIYana Event Website
Yup, jewel cases stay.
That said, everything gets ripped to itunes, all browsing done from there.
grumble, grumble, Cold dead hands grumble
(Runs off, waving his fist at a cloud)
I have mine in storage in their original cases after ripping to FLAC and loading in Roon...but I do miss skimming through them, especially when they aren't organized at all. Much easier to find something random I haven't heard in a decade.
Sitting in boxes back in MX, I rip to FLAC and store them in a box.
When I'm feeling adventurous, I just put the media player on random and see what happens.
I never made the transition to digital. Most of what I have is vinyl. Like to go through the ritual of placing LP on platter and then slowly lowering the stylus into the groove. I do have a few physical CD's, but very limited. They are all in standard jewel cases and almost never get played or looked at.
I'm mostly streaming because it's so easy to find new music. My CDs are on the shelf still in their jewel cases collecting dust. But if our internet goes out on the weekend, I'll break out a CD player or spin some LPs.
I have around 1600 CD's ripped to FLAC files. The CD's are split between drawers in a dedicated oak cabinet and open top cardboard boxes in the back room. I sorted them alphabetically by artist last year. I recently signed up to Tidal so I'm using that a lot now and it's true that I'm finding a lot of new music.
The oak cabinet was built by a good friend and has 6 drawers set up for CD's or DVD's. He does incredible work.